- OR -

Advanced Search

 Healing Systems

•	Animal/Pet Therapies
•	Ayurveda
•	Bach Flower Remedies
•	Energy Healing
•	Energy Psychology
•	Herbal Medicine
•	Homeopathy
•	Chiropractic
•	Massage Therapy
•	Naturopathy
•	Traditional Chinese Medicine

 In this section:

•	What is Naturopathy
•	Where Did it Originate
•	Naturopathic Treatments
•	What are the Benefits
•	Choosing a Qualified Practitioner
•	Naturopathy as a Career
•	Naturopathic Associations
•	Naturopathic Schools
•	Naturopathic Practitioners

 Your Tools:

	Print this page
	Email this page
	Search Naturopathy articles
	Submit your own article
	Sign up as a practitioner

Natureopathy

Choosing a Qualified Practitioner

Although several countries have established guidelines to regulate Naturopathic Medicine, the practice of Naturopathy is not officially regulated in countries except for the U. S. and Canada.

In the U. S., licensing and training of Naturopaths is regulated in the following 15 states. Links are provided for you to verify licensure by name or license number:

Alaska Arizona California Connecticut District of Columbia

Hawaii Idaho Kansas Maine Montana

New Hampshire Oregon Utah Vermont Washington

Naturopathy is also officially regulated in the territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

In Canada, Naturopathy is licensed in 4 provinces:

British Columbia Manitoba

Ontario Saskatchewan

In these states/provinces, Naturopathic Doctors are required to graduate from a 4-year, residential Naturopathic medical school and pass an extensive postdoctoral board examination (NPLEX) to receive a license

Licensing requirements do not apply to Naturopaths practicing in unlicensed states and provinces.

There are a number of profit and non-profit organizations worldwide which have been formed in an attempt to set standards of competency and to certify individuals in the practice of Naturopathy in the absence of government regulations. Although not a government body, in the United Kingdom the General Council and Register of Naturopaths establishes standards of education for Naturopaths and accredits organizations which meet these standards.

Many Primary Care Physicans are formally trained as Naturopaths, and therefore can be located through doctor listings in insurance plans. A Naturopathic Physician is trained as a Medical Doctor in addition to completing education in Naturopathic Medicine.

The following are questions to ask in identifying how qualified and reliable a Naturopath is:

1. Ask the Naturopath how many years of training they have had, and how long they have been practicing.

2. Ask if they have treated people with your condition before, and for details on how the treatments progressed.

3. Ask if they have indemnity insurance (to cover them, and you, if anything happens).

4. Depending on which country you are located in, ask if they are certified and licensed by a nationally recognized body. Ensure that in the states requiring licensing, that such licensing has been received. As there are educational programs which offer short courses and the title "Naturopathic Doctor" with no verification of clinical experience, verification is strongly recommended.

view all Naturopathy articles...